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"The ultimate villain of the story, who's causing the problem the heroes must solve."

Note that Big Bad is not a catch-all trope for the biggest and ugliest villain of any given story. The BigBad is the one who turns out to be behind several other seemingly independent threats.

The RPG fandom likes to use the full Big Bad Evil Guy name or its initialism "BBEG".----* In general, in any cooperative game without a traitor, the game itself is the metaphysical BigBad.* Divis Mal from ''TabletopGame/{{Aberrant}}'' is probably the biggest candidate for being a BigBad, though there are definitely other threats out there. [[spoiler: [[MutantDraftBoard Project Utopia]], for example, which is actually ''more'' of a candidate for the setting's BigBad than Divis Mal, since their protocol of sterilising all novas they induct into their services ''causes'' the very nova/baseline apocalyptic war that Divis Mal always warned was inevitable if novas trusted baselines.]]* In ''TabletopGame/BlueRose'' there is [[EvilOverlord Jarek the Lich King]], who isn't just the worst villain around, but actually one of the few truly evil characters in this very [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism idealistic]] [[WhiteAndGreyMorality setting]]. In a world where most antagonists are misguided, or weak-willed and fallen to temptation at worst, Jarek is just plain [[IncrediblyLamePun bad to the bone]].* The BigBad in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' varies between settings and editions, but the recurring cast is Asmodeus (a {{Satan}} stand-in), Vecna (the god of the liches), Tharizdun (the god of {{Omnicidal Maniac}}s), Orcus (a ridiculously powerful demon lord who rules the undead), and Lolth / Lloth (the goddess of the eeeviiilll Drow).** Tharizdun could be seen as the GreaterScopeVillain, because as of 4th Edition he is responsible for the current evilness of all of the above villains except Vecna, and in ''Demonomicon'' it is explicitly stated that the shard of evil he [[spoiler: created the Abyss with]] gave him a huge power boost. Since he was already a god this makes him the most powerful being in the setting, strong enough that the level cap of 30 isn't high enough for the characters to fight him.** In terms of overall campaigns, Vecna's one of the more common, and it's implied that his ascension to godhood was one of the key factors in the storyline changes between 2nd and 3rd editions.** ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'' has a wide variety of potential {{Big Bad}}s, fittingly for a [=DnD=] setting designed to provide challenges for a wide variety of stories and player power levels:*** The Biggest and Baddest are the [[AbusivePrecursors Overlords]], who straddle the line between DemonLordsAndArchDevils and GodOfEvil and ruled the world millennia ago, but are currently all SealedEvilInACan, and are therefore forced to work through their less powerful (but still incredibly nasty) minions, the Lords of Dust. They're ''far'' from the only nasties out there, however. *** The Kalashtar vs. Inspired subset of the MythArc has the Dreaming Dark, which seeks to control all mortal dreams and already rules TheEmpire of Riedra through the PathOfInspiration [[note]] WordOfGod from setting creator Keith Baker puts the Dreaming Dark collectively at roughly the same level of power as a single Overlord[[/note]]. *** Then there are the Daelkyr, HumanoidAbomination rulers (maybe) of the plane of Xoriat, who view destroying worlds as a form of art and tried to destroy Eberron millennia ago; while they were stopped, several Daelkyr remain imprisoned on the mortal plane and, like the Overlords, they have their share of minions of worshippers still active. *** [[OurLichesAreDifferent Erandis Vol]], the Lich Queen, can't really compare to any of the above in terms of raw power, but she's had several millennia to spin plans and has her fingers in lots of pots across Khorvaire, and she also helped create one of the setting's major religions. *** On a more mundane level, the Aurum are a conspiracy of wealthy and powerful merchants and aristocrats who seek to control Khorvaire from the shadows.*** Perhaps the least powerful, but most iconic (to the point that he made it onto the cover of the Fourth Edition setting book), Big Bad of the setting is the Lord of Blades, a renegade warforged who seeks to subjugate living beings to his kind (and possibly [[AGodAmI become a god in the process]]). He was designed as an antagonist in the vein of traditional [[SuperVillain supervillains]] and is frequently compared among fans to Doctor Doom and/or ComicBook/{{Magneto}}. *** Though those are the main "unambiguously evil" threats facing Eberron, the setting's use of moral ambiguity and GreyAndGreyMorality means that even some of the more seemingly benevolent or neutral organizations (the Dragons of Argonessen, the Undying Court, or the Dragonmarked Houses, for example) can be potential Big Bads if the [=PCs=] get mixed up the wrong way in what they're doing. ** In the ''TabletopGame/{{Greyhawk}}'' campaign setting, the evil [[PhysicalGod demigod]] Iuz the Old is probably the most prominent because he actually lives on Oerth (although so do some other evil demigods). There are also a wide variety of others.** In the ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' setting, the Darklord of each of the Domains is this. Neatly organized too, since they are both the rulers and prisoners of their [[IronicHell Domains]].* ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' has the Deathlords, ghosts of powerful First Age Solars -- pinnacles of super-human achievements -- who now serve the [[GreaterScopeVillain Neverborn]]. Arguably, the biggest and baddest of them all is the First and Forsaken Lion.** The Ebon Dragon embodies the principle of BigBad-hood [[spoiler:and is running the plan to reclaim the world with the Scarlet Empress as his thrall]]. And he was one of the creators of the world. In fact, he created the [[BigGood God of]] [[TheHero Heroism]] solely for the purpose to define his own existence.** Chejop Kejak can be seen as the BigBad for the returned Solars. The Sidereal old man engineered the Usurpation of the Solar Deliberative! ... [[AntiVillain Well, he had his reasons]].* In ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', it was formerly Yawgmoth before he got wiped from existence. Now... it's a three-way BigBadEnsemble between [[FromASingleCell the remains]] of [[TheVirus Phyrexia]], [[SealedEvilInACan the Eldrazi]], and [[TheChessmaster Nicol Bolas]].* From the ''TabletopGame/MutantsAndMasterminds'' setting [[EagleLand Freedom City]], Darkseid-expy [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Omega]] may qualify as a possible BigBad, [[OmnicidalManiac due to his desire to drag the entire universe into the Terminus with him]]. There is also the mysterious ManOfWealthAndTaste, [[ObviouslyEvil Mr. Infamy]], who [[LiteralGenie grants]] [[JackassGenie wishes]], for a [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor payment to be specified later]]. His calling card [[NumberOfTheBeast sure has a lot of sixes on it]].* The Setting of TabletopGame/TheDarkEye offers two independent ones, which one is prealent depends mostly on where in the timeline you are. In the start and after the Third Demon Battle the Bog Bad is the Nameless God, in between he [[PutOnABus almost gets forgotten]] and in steps Borbarad, a demigod mage.* ''TabletopGame/SpiritOfTheCentury'': Dr. Methusala. This guy is so much more powerful than any other character that the book suggests you treat him as an event, rather than go into straight up conflict with him.* ''TabletopGame/TechInfantry'' has a variety of Big Bads, from The Bugs, to Rashid King, to Modred. Ultimately, the biggest bad of all is the CrapsackWorld nature of the universe itself.* The ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' setting has its share of these guys, notably Chaos warlord Archaon, Malekith the Witch King, Grimgor Ironhide, Nagash the Undying, and the Skaven Council of Thirteen.* There are plenty of people in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' who could make claims for this spot:** Abbadon the Despoiler, Warmaster of Chaos (Archaon's sci-fi counterpart). Has led thirteen Black Crusades against the Imperium from the Eye of Terror. Thankfully, they were all stopped from reaching Terra, although each time, millions of innocent people on dozens of worlds died. Come the ''Gathering Storm'' arc at the end of 7th Edition, Abaddon smashes aside the Imperial defenses that had held him at bay for so long, setting Chaos as the true BigBad for 8th Edition.** Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka (Grimgor's SF counterpart). An Ork Warboss the size of a Dreadnought, making him the biggest and baddest Ork in existence. Claims to receive visions from the Ork gods telling him to unite all the Orks in the galaxy under a big WAAAAGH, and already has millions of Orks under his banner.** The [[EldritchAbomination C'Tan]] Star-Gods. One of them, the Nightbringer, is responsible for ''making every living thing fear death''.** [[TheChessmaster Asdrubael Vect]], the ''de facto'' kingpin of the [[SpacePirate Dark Eldar]]. Every Dark Eldar raid and attack in the galaxy from the last few thousand years can be traced back to this monster. Oh, and the Dark Eldar's ancestors were responsible for creating the Chaos God Slaanesh, and the previously mentioned Eye of Terror.** The [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Tyranid]] Hivemind. As a faction, they're a good contender for the overall BigBad of ''Warhammer 40000''. Consumed thousands of worlds, and it is hinted that everything we've seen so far is just a ''tiny percentage'' of what they're capable of. Their goal is to sweep through the galaxy and eat every living thing in it, and the scary thing is that at the rate they're going, [[CrapsackWorld they will very likely succeed]].* ''TabletopGame/RocketAge'' has a classic one. The Red Scorpion, head of the Red Scorpion Crime Syndicate in ''the Trail of the Scorpion''. As to the Black Scorpion's identity...* Most ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' Adventure Path's feature one:** ''Rise of the Runelords'' has Karzoug the Claimer, Runelord of Greed, whose resurrection kicks off all the events of the plot.** ''Curse of the Crimson Throne'' has Queen Ileosa, whose increasingly tyrannical rule the players are trying to overthrow.** ''Second Darkness'' has Allevrah Azinrae, drow matron of House Azinrae, and the mind behind the plot to cause a second Earthfall.** ''Legacy of Fire'' has the genie Jhavul, whose plan to fuse with Xotani the Fire-bleeder is the cause of all the story's events.** ''Council of Thieves'' has tiefling nobleman Eccardian Drovenge, who aims to take over Westcrown for himself.** ''Kingmaker'' has Nyrissa the mad nymph, who uses every other villain of the Adventure Path for her own ends.** ''Skull & Shackles'' has Admiral Druvalia Thrune, whose plan to take over the Shackles is responsible for everything the players subsequently go through.** ''Reign of Winter'' has Queen Elvanna, whose imprisonment of her mother, Baba Yaga, and triggering of the eternal winter spell, are the focus of the plot.** ''Wrath of the Righteous'' has the demon lord Deskari.** ''Iron Gods'' features Unity, a computer tyrant that aims to achieve true divinity and antagonizes every other character in the story to do so.----